AustLit

The Queensland Guardian was established by W. C. Belbridge (q.v.) and Melbourne printer William Fairfax (q.v.) as a conservative rival to the more liberal Moreton Bay Courier, and for much of its life it promoted the interests of the wealthy northern pastoralists.

Between 1860-1868, the Guardian was in effect Brisbane's second newspaper, its circulation never matching that of the more popular Courier. Initially published twice and then three times a week, from 1864 it appeared from Monday to Saturday, as the Queensland Daily Guardian. A weekly version, the Queensland Weekly Guardian, commenced publication in May 1863, however, when the Guardian took over Theophilus Pugh's financially troubled Weekly Herald in January 1864, the title Queensland Weekly Guardian was discarded, and the two amalgamated weeklies continued as Weekly Herald. Both the Guardian and the Weekly Herald, ceased publication in June 1868 when their then parent company was placed in receivership. At its height, the Guardian stable employed ca. 30 staff.

Among the notable journalists who worked on the Guardian at various points were Walter Cooper (q.v.), George Ettienne Loyau (q.v.), George 'Bohemian' Hall (q.v.), and Ebenezer Thorne.